To donate any vehicle, please email (stevekerr@wmm.org) or call Steve Kerr at (317) 635-3575 first. To donate a car, van, or truck, here’s what you need to know:

Wheeler can accept any such vehicle, running or not.

The person who owns the vehicle, possesses a clear title, and has the keys should be the one who calls.

You may deliver your vehicle to us, or if it is in the Central Indiana area, we can arrange to pick up your vehicle.

Vehicles that could not be used for ministry will be sold at auction with proceeds benefiting those Wheeler serves.

You will receive the kind of receipt you need for a tax deduction

Tax Deduction Information:

Wheeler is a qualifying 501(c)(3) charitable organization and according to the IRS, you can deduct the fair market value of your vehicle when you itemize your deductions.

How do you estimate the fair market value? We are not able to; however, the IRS publication 561 offers this advice: Say “the ‘blue book’ value of a car like yours is $1,600 in good condition. However, your car needs extensive repairs. After checking with repair shops and used car dealers, you find that the car should sell for $750. You may use $750 as the FMV of the car.”

There is no limit on how many vehicles you may donate during a year, but if the fair market value of the vehicle(s) is $5000 or greater you must file the IRS Form 8283 with your tax return.

Here are some links to the Kelly Blue Book and the NADA Guide to get you started. It’s also wise to compare your vehicle to similar ones for sale in the area; check out cars.com, and/or AutoTrader.com to see what price yours is bringing.

View our Frequently Asked Questions below.

View More

Q: Can Wheeler Pick up my donation?
A: At this time, Wheeler Mission is able to pick up certain donations. For more info, please click here.

Q: Does it have to be like new?
A: Items don’t have to be new, but they must be clean and in good condition. We don’t have the resources to fix or clean donations. We may decline any donation that doesn’t meet these minimal requirements.

Q: What does Wheeler accept?
A: We accept donations of home furnishing and appliances in good condition, clean clothing, household items, toys and games, books and magazines, but also things like lawn & garden tools, charcoal grills, and some building supplies. Sometimes we accept commercial appliances and office furniture. Please call 317.646.2624 if you have a question.

Q: What won’t Wheeler accept?
A: Regretfully, Wheeler cannot accept a donation of the following items:

Appliances that malfunction in any way

Used pianos or organs (synthesizer keyboards are accepted)

Used mattresses

Used waterbeds

Console TVs or console stereos

Used dishwashers

Used freezers

Used tires

Hospital beds

Used air conditioners

Used carpet

Opened paint

Tube TV’s

We rely on food donations to help feed the thousands of men, women, and children who come through our doors hungry and needing help!

Our most needed food items are:

View the complete food needs list

Coffee

Sugar – bulk and packets

Ketchup, mustard, mayo, relish

Cereal – bulk or individual

Oatmeal – bulk or individual

Fruit cups

Pudding cups

Pepper, salt (bulk), garlic & onion powder

Italian seasoning

Salad dressing – Italian, Ranch, French

Spaghetti sauce or pasta/tomato sauce

Penne pasta, elbow macaroni, spaghetti, noodles

Diced tomatoes

Baked beans

Canned fruit

Food donations can be dropped off at our Shelter for Men (520 E. Market St., Indianapolis, IN 46204) during business hours or our Men’s Residential Center (245 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis, IN 46201) during non-business hours.

Summary of The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act

View the full summary

On October 1, 1996, President Clinton signed the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act to encourage the donation of food and grocery products to non-profit organizations for distribution to needy individuals. This law makes it easier for individuals and organizations to donate to charities of their choice. To read the full act, see below.

The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act

It protects donors from liability when donating to a non-profit organization.

It protects donors from civil and criminal liability should the product donated in good faith later cause harm to the needy recipient.

It standardizes donor liability exposure. Donors and their legal counsel no longer have to investigate liability laws in 50 states.

It sets a liability floor of “gross negligence” or intentional misconduct for persons who donate grocery products. (See Act text for further definitions.)

Congress recognized that the provision of food close to recommended date of sale is, in and of itself, not grounds for finding gross negligence. For example, cereal can be donated if it is marked close to code date for retail sale.

The bill was named for Rep. Bill Emerson (R-Missouri) who fought for the proposal but died of cancer before it was passed.

The Bill Emerson Food Donation Act

One Hundred Fourth Congress of the United States of America, at the Second Session begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, the third day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-six.

An Act

To encourage the donation of food and grocery products to nonprofit organizations for distribution to needy individuals by giving the Model Good Samaritan Food Donation Act the full force and effect of law.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Section 1. CONVERSION TO PERMANENT LAW OD MODEL GOOD SAMARITAN FOOD DONATION ACT AND TRANSFER OF THAT ACT TO CHILD NUTRITION ACT OF 1966.

(a) Conversion to Permanent Law. — Title IV of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 is amended — by striking the title heading and sections 401 and 403 (42 U.S.C. 12671 and 12673); and in section 402 (42 U.S.C. 12672) —

(A) in the section heading, by striking “model” and inserting “bill emerson”

(7) GROSS NEGLIGENCE. — The term ‘gross negligence’ means voluntary and conscious conduct (including a failure to act) by a person who, at the time of the conduct, knew that the conduct was likely to be harmful to the health or well-being of another person.;

(D) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:

(c) LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES FROM DONATED FOOD AND GROCERY PRODUCTS.

(1) LIABILITY OF PERSON OR GLEANER. — A person or gleaner shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability arising from the nature, age, packaging, or condition of apparently wholesome food or an apparently fit grocery product that the person or gleaner donates in good faith to a nonprofit organization for ultimate distribution to needy individuals.

(2) LIABILITY OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. — A nonprofit organization shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability arising from the nature, age, packaging, or condition of apparently wholesome food or an apparently fit grocery product that the nonprofit organization received as a donation in good faith from a person or gleaner for ultimate distribution to needy individuals.

(3) EXCEPTION. — Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply to an injury to or death of an ultimate user or recipient of the food or grocery product that results from an act or omission of the person, gleaner or nonprofit organization, as applicable, constituting gross negligence or intentional misconduct.; and

(E) in subsection (f), by adding at the end the following: “Nothing in this section shall be construed to supersede State or local health regulations.”.

(b) TRANSFER TO CHILD NUTRITION ACT OF 1966. — Section 402 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12762) (as amended by subsection (a)) — is transferred from the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to the Child Nutrition Act of 1966; is redesignated as section 22 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966; and is added at the end of such Act.

(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT. — The table of contents for the National and Community Service Act of 1990 is amended by striking the items relating to title IV.

Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House of Representatives
Strom Thurmond, President of the Senate Pro Tempore
Approved 10/01/96 William J. Clinton President of the United States

We also have an ongoing need for Hygiene Kits. We ask that these Hygiene Kits include the following, personal-sized items: shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, toothpaste, toothbrush, disposable razor, and shaving cream.

DONATION DROP-OFF LOCATIONS

Donation Barns

With some limitations, you can drop your donations in one of our donation barns, 24-hours a day. Please don’t leave donations outside the barns.

Donation barns can only accept clothing and small household goods, clean and in good condition. Please, no food, furniture, or appliances at the donation barns.

Donation barns are located in parking lots of the following churches:

Indian Creek Christian Church
6430 S. Franklin Rd.,Indianapolis IN 46259Map